What makes synthroid

If your Synthroid prescription is switched to a generic at the pharmacy, you may not realize it. The Food and Drug Administration has determined that certain levothyroxine products are interchangeable and can be substituted at the pharmacy. Ask your doctor to note his or her preference on the prescription.

Without specific instructions for the pharmacy, you may get switched. Let your pharmacist or mail-order service know that your doctor prefers brand name Synthroid.

Check your pill. Learn more about hypothyroidism, its causes, and risk factors from Dr. Elliot Levy. View Transcript. About Synthroid dosing Synthroid comes in 12 dosing options to help your doctor find the dose that's right for you. Select to enlarge and see dose. Tablets shown not actual size and may not represent exact color.

If you need to change, you should let your healthcare provider know as you may need to repeat thyroid testing to make sure that the drug works for you. For an illness like hypothyroidism that typically requires lifelong therapy, consistent and precise treatment with the same thyroid hormone brand over time maximizes your chances of effective treatment American Thyroid Association, n.

Last updated October 12, Written by Andrea Peirce. Disclaimer If you have any medical questions or concerns, please talk to your healthcare provider. Vitals Synthroid and generic levothyroxine are used to treat hypothyroidism, a medical condition caused by low thyroid hormone levels. Both Synthroid and levothyroxine are synthetic versions of T4 or thyroxine, the primary thyroid hormone produced by your thyroid gland. One is not necessarily better than the other; however, if you decide to switch between brand name and generic levothyroxine, tell your healthcare provider.

Side effects of both the brand name and generic thyroid medication are similar and include increased appetite, weight loss, heat intolerance, and hair loss. Learn more. Related articles.

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How long does it take to feel better on thyroid medication? What are normal thyroid-stimulating hormone TSH levels? Also, certain bone growth problems may occur in infants and children who take too much Synthroid. And the growth of their skull may also be affected. Other bones in children taking too much Synthroid may also be unable to grow properly. This can lead to growth problems and decreased height.

And they can help prepare you for what to expect from treatment with this drug. During Synthroid treatment, getting your thyroid hormone to the right level can sometimes be challenging.

This is because even a small change in your Synthroid dose may cause your thyroid hormone level to become either too high or too low. And having either too much or too little Synthroid in your body may result in certain side effects. For example, if you take too much Synthroid, you may have side effects of hyperthyroidism a condition that causes high thyroid hormone levels.

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism may include:. On the other hand, if you take too little Synthroid, your body may not have enough thyroid hormone. This can lead to symptoms of hypothyroidism a condition that causes low thyroid hormone levels.

These symptoms include:. Maintaining a consistent level of Synthroid in your body can help prevent side effects of having too much or too little of the drug in your body.

And you should try to take the drug at the same time every day. You may wonder how often certain side effects occur with this drug. In some cases, Synthroid may cause weight loss.

And this may lead to weight gain. So with Synthroid treatment, your metabolism rate may be increased, and you may lose weight. In fact, Synthroid has a boxed warning advising against using the drug for weight loss. Boxed warnings alert doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.

And using doses larger than those recommended by the manufacturer may cause serious side effects. These side effects can include confusion, seizures, coma, and even death. In addition, taking Synthroid along with drugs used for weight loss may cause very serious or even life threatening side effects. However, a small study looked at how many people lost weight while taking levothyroxine the active drug in Synthroid.

In some cases, Synthroid may lead to weight gain. This is because the drug can increase your appetite, which may make you eat more food than usual. And this might make it easier for you to gain weight. Keep in mind that Synthroid is used to replace or add to your natural thyroid hormones. Hair loss is a rare side effect of Synthroid. And the hair loss typically happens during the first few months of Synthroid treatment.

Usually, hair loss from Synthroid is only temporary, and it goes away even when treatment is continued. Keep in mind that hair loss can also occur because of changes in your thyroid hormone levels. And Synthroid is used to replace or add to natural thyroid hormones in your body. If your hormone levels are either too high or too low, your hair may not grow properly.

They may be able to recommend ways to help decrease this side effect. Your doctor may also order certain blood tests to check your thyroid hormone levels. Diarrhea is a possible side effect of Synthroid. Constipation, on the other hand, is unlikely to be a side effect of Synthroid. This is because with low thyroid hormone levels caused by hypothyroidism, your digestion is slowed down.

And this may lead to constipation. They may order certain blood tests to check your thyroid hormone levels. As with most drugs, some people can have an allergic reaction after taking Synthroid. A more severe allergic reaction is rare but possible. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction can include:. Call your doctor right away if you have a severe allergic reaction to Synthroid. Keep in mind that anxiety may also occur if your thyroid hormone levels are either too high or too low.

And Synthroid is used to replace or add to the natural thyroid hormones in your body. So certain changes in your thyroid hormone levels may cause you to feel anxious or nervous.

However, insomnia can also occur when you have too much thyroid hormones in your body. Keep in mind that Synthroid is used to replace or add to the natural thyroid hormones in your body.

They may order certain blood tests to check if your thyroid hormone levels are too high. And your doctor may also recommend ways to help you sleep better.

With heart palpitations, you may feel like your heart flutters or skips a beat. Heart palpitations may also be caused by having too much thyroid hormones in your body. And this could cause you to have heart palpitations. Your doctor will likely order blood tests to check your thyroid hormone levels. And your doctor may also be able to recommend ways to treat your heart palpitations.

Typically, your doctor will start you on a low dosage. For your dosage, your doctor will calculate the smallest dose that provides the desired effect. For example, this may be the case if you have certain heart problems.

The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you.

Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs. It comes as tablets that are taken by mouth.

Typical dosages of Synthroid for hypothyroidism are described below. High dosages are greater than mcg of Synthroid daily. A typical starting dose of Synthroid for newly diagnosed hypothyroidism is 1. This dose is taken once each day. With newly diagnosed hypothyroidism, the condition was just diagnosed within the past few months.

For example, if you weigh 70 kg about pounds , your starting dosage of Synthroid would be about mcg each day. If your thyroid hormone levels are still too low, your doctor may increase your daily dosage of Synthroid by Then, after an another 4 to 6 weeks, your doctor will order blood tests again to check your thyroid hormone levels. If needed, your doctor may keep increasing your daily Synthroid dose by The typical starting dosage of Synthroid for severe, longstanding hypothyroidism is The starting dosage of Synthroid for this condition is lower than it is for newly diagnosed hypothyroidism.

See the section just above for details. When treating severe, longstanding hypothyroidism, your doctor may order blood tests to check your thyroid hormone levels every 2 to 4 weeks. If your levels are low, your doctor may increase your daily dose of Synthroid every 2 to 4 weeks by This means that if you weigh 75 kg about pounds , your dosage of Synthroid would be mcg each day. Your Synthroid dosage for TSH suppression will depend on the severity of your condition and other health conditions you may have.

TSH is made when your body needs thyroid hormones. Synthroid dosing for hypothyroidism in children depends on both their body weight and their age.

Typical dosages for children are described below:. If you forget to take a dose of Synthroid, your thyroid hormone levels may decrease. And this may lead to certain side effects. They or their medical staff will be able to recommend the best time for you to take your next dose of the drug. A medication timer may be useful, too. Synthroid is meant to be used as a long-term treatment. Other drugs are available that can treat your condition. Some may be a better fit for you than others.

They can tell you about other medications that may work well for you. And doses of brand-name Synthroid may not be equivalent to doses of generic forms of levothyroxine. This allows your doctor to check your thyroid hormone levels and determine the correct dose of medication for you. Drugs other than Synthroid may be used to either treat hypothyroidism or provide thyroid stimulating hormone TSH suppression.

You may wonder if there are natural treatment options for certain thyroid problems that Synthroid is used to treat. But if you want to explore natural options, we describe below some approaches that may or may not help to improve your thyroid health:. If you have questions about using natural treatment options for a thyroid condition, talk with your doctor.

You may wonder how Synthroid compares with other medications that are prescribed for similar uses. Here we look at how Synthroid and levothyroxine are alike and different. Brand-name Synthroid contains the active drug levothyroxine. Levothyroxine is a man-made version of the natural thyroid hormone called T4. And levothyroxine is also available as a generic drug. Even though Synthroid and levothyroxine have the same active ingredient, the drugs may not be exactly identical.

And switching between the two drugs may cause a large change in your thyroid hormone levels. Because of this, your doctor may need to monitor you if you switch from one drug to the other.

But if you must switch between these versions, talk with your doctor. This allows your doctor to be sure that your thyroid hormone levels are within a normal range. Both Synthroid and levothyroxine comes as tablets that are taken by mouth.

And each of these drugs should be taken once daily in the morning. Synthroid and levothyroxine both contain the active drug levothyroxine.

Therefore, these medications can cause very similar side effects. The use of Synthroid and levothyroxine in treating hypothyroidism has been directly compared in a clinical study. This study, done in , looked at people taking either Synthroid or levothyroxine. It showed that there was no significant difference in thyroid hormone levels between the two groups of people. TSH levels indicate how much your body needs thyroid hormone. A lower TSH level means that thyroid hormone is being adequately replaced with treatment.

Synthroid is a brand-name drug, while levothyroxine is available as a generic drug. Generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs do. According to estimates on GoodRx. Here we look at how Synthroid and Armour Thyroid are alike and different. Armour Thyroid contains T4, but it also contains the other main thyroid hormone called T3. Synthroid should be taken in the morning on an empty stomach, about 30 minutes to 1 hour before you eat breakfast.

Synthroid and Armour Thyroid both contain medications used for thyroid conditions. Therefore, these medications can cause very similar side effects, but some different ones as well. Below are examples of these side effects.

Even small changes in your doses of these drugs may cause large changes in your hormone levels, which may result in side effects. Synthroid is approved for TSH suppression and to treat hypothyroidism. The use of levothyroxine the active drug ingredient in Synthroid and Armour Thyroid in treating hypothyroidism has been directly compared in a clinical study. So this study might not have shown the actual difference between Armour Thyroid and Synthroid.